


Atlas and the Mountain

by jetsam



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-03
Updated: 2013-03-03
Packaged: 2017-12-04 04:46:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/706715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jetsam/pseuds/jetsam
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Back at the start, there were two boys and an old gym, and a basketball that had been long since worn smooth.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Atlas and the Mountain

Tomoyuki joined Teikou for the basketball. He joined wide eyed and shining in his new uniform, and stood in the ranks of the other first years with stars in his eyes, looking at the first string players facing them. Back then, he had honestly believed that someday that would be him.

He kept playing, because it was basketball and because he loved to play, but a couple of months in it was just him and another 3rd string sub playing after practice in the old gym.

“Do you ever think about giving up?” he asked Kuroko-kun one night. They were sitting side by side against the wall, too tired to move but unwilling to leave just yet.

Kuroko looked at him blankly (but then, when did Kuroko have any other kind of expression?). “Playing basketball with Tomoyuki-kun is fun. Why would I quit?”

They kept playing, of course, but there was only so much one-on-one they could play, that late after a hard practice. It wasn’t too long before Tomoyuki sighed. “I have homework to do. I’ll see you at morning training tomorrow.”

Kuroko nodded and turned back to shooting practice. (He was truly dire: Tomoyuki was better and that was saying something).

Tomoyuki was late the next evening. There was no official practice, but of course most of the higher ranked players were playing as normal. Tomoyuki had to finish his library duties first, and then jogged across to the sports hall. Oddly, he could already hear the pound of a ball on the wooden floor, and Kuroko’s quiet laugh.

Curious, he eased the door open and peered around. Kuroko, yes, but playing one-on-one against _Aomine Daiki_. Tomoyuki ducked back and rubbed his eyes. Aomine, the star of the regulars, was playing in the third string hall against _Kuroko_. He looked around the door again. Kuroko was smiling even as Aomine blew past him and scored again. Laughing, even, as Aomine jogged back to playfully ruffle his hair and laugh with him.

Tomoyuki swallowed and sighed. He didn’t want to play against Aomine, anyway, not when he was going to lose every time, and there was more than enough homework to do. He pulled his gym bag more securely onto his shoulder and headed home.

On the way out, he passed Akashi and Midorima, who were first years and already regular starters. He stepped out of their way and nodded politely. Midorima didn’t even notice him, but Akashi caught his eye and smiled, even if he didn’t seem to recognise him.

Two weeks later, he came to practice only to find that Kuroko wasn’t there.

“Oh!” Hiro said, surprised. “I thought you’d have heard. Kuroko’s training with the first string now. Akashi-kun arranged it.”

Tomoyuki did his stretches alone that day, and left immediately after the official session ended.

Kuroko’s first game wasn’t til the beginning of their second year. They didn’t speak in during that time – and why would they, when they were in different classes and trained in different strings? Tomoyuki came, of course, and sat up in the stands in his uniform. Kuroko seemed very small out there with the other regulars, smaller even than Akashi-kun who somehow had presence even if he didn’t have height.

Just before they started, Kuroko looked up at the stands, caught his eye and waved to him. Tomoyuki smiled, and gave him a thumbs up. Kuroko had to play well, because he wasn’t a prodigy and wasn’t a giant, and because Tomoyuki still couldn’t quite believe he was good enough.

But he was, and Tomoyuki wasn’t, and so Kuroko had to carry both of their hopes.


End file.
